Scots split support 'higher in UK'

Support for Scottish independence is higher in England and Wales than it is north of the border, according to a new poll.

PUBLISHED: 21:56, Sat, Jan 14, 2012

A new poll suggests 26 per cent of voters in Scotland want to break up the Union, compared with 46 p [PA]

Support for Scottish independence is higher in England and Wales than it is north of the border, according to a new poll.

Only 26% of voters in Scotland want to break up the Union, compared with 46% who do not, found the Survation poll of 1,001 people in Scotland and 1,019 in England and Wales commissioned by the Mail on Sunday.

In England and Wales, 29% felt Scotland should quit the UK, with only 40% feeling that it should not.

The survey also found that Scots were more likely to vote against independence in a referendum if it contained a second question on whether more powers should be devolved to Edinburgh from Westminster.

In that case - the format preferred by Scottish National Party First Minister Alex Salmond - Scottish support for a break with England and Wales dropped to 23%, with a majority, 52%, opposing independence.

Even on the question of further devolution, dubbed Devo-Max, only 32% backed the idea while 35% opposed it.

A separate poll found that more English voters backed Scottish independence than opposed it.

The ICM survey for The Sunday Telegraph found 40% to 43% of Scots wanted to retain the Union.

But among the English, 43% supported independence and while only 32% wanted Scotland to remain in the UK.

ICM Research interviewed 1,734 adults in England and 501 adults in Scotland on January 11 to 13. Data was separately weighted to reflect the profile of people in England and in Scotland.